


Making Circles

by badgerling



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-20
Updated: 2012-02-20
Packaged: 2017-10-31 12:28:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/344065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badgerling/pseuds/badgerling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four things Jack O'Neill did in the time loop, and one thing he did after.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Making Circles

_I. (good intentions, better alibis)_

The first time Jack resigns, it's to show up in the gate room, out of uniform, grab Carter, and kiss her just to find out what she taste like. Oddly enough, she tastes like strawberries, and Jack's not really sure if that's her lip gloss or something she ate. The second time he resigns, it's to take a gun, drive purposefully off-base, head to airport in some vain attempt to get to Washington just to find out what would happen if someone took Senator Kinsey out of the picture as violently as possible. He never gets that far, of course, mostly because Hammond calls ahead to cut him off, and all the airmen at that base are staring at him like he's insane.

The third time he resigns, though, that's when things get a little wonky.

It starts out like every other time he's resigned. Civvies, gate room, typed letter of resignation thrust into Hammond's hands. Only this time, Jack has every thing timed to the second, mostly so he doesn't give himself a chance to over think things. Because the second he starts over-analyzing what he's about to do, he'll start doubting it and himself and everything in-between. He has ten minutes exactly to get from the gate room to Daniel's office, but it only takes him seven. He had been counting on more people being in the halls, but it doesn't matter.

He doesn't say anything before stepping through the door. Daniel's still in front of the chalkboard like he's still hoping to teach someone how to read and understand Ancient, and when Jack enters the room, Daniel actually looks expectant, but that doesn't last long. He knows Jack too well, and he knows that he lost their attention hours ago.

Jack doesn't hesitate as he strides across the room, his hand touching Daniel's hips, fingers slipping under the other man's shirt like it's the most natural thing in the world. Daniel starts to protest, but Jack doesn't have time to talk, so all of Daniel's questions are swallowed in a kiss that actually makes Jack see stars for some stupid reason. He's not sure how long the kiss lasts, and all he knows when the kiss breaks is that Daniel's hands are heavy and warm on his hips, his own hands have moved up to cup Daniel's face, and Jack's almost afraid to meet Daniel's eyes.

That's why he tried to time this perfectly. He really doesn't want to deal with the consequences. He really doesn't want to see the disgust in Daniel's eyes.

His timing is off, though, and Daniel manages a soft, "Jack?"

"I-..." Jack begins, like he's going to finally say something that's been weighing on him for four years and change, but he doesn't get the chance. There's a flash in the corner of his eye, and suddenly, he's no longer touching Daniel, Daniel's no longer touching him. There's just an expectant look across the mess hall table, a spoonful of Fruit Loops, and a question that Jack still doesn't remember.

He shakes his head, sighs, and swears not to resign ever again. Ever.

_II. (no moving on, but no goodbyes)_

Jack is actually proud of himself. He's managed to avoid Daniel completely for two time loops. That, he thinks, has got to be a record. His luck won't hold forever, though, but he assumes it would be Daniel that finally breaks down and comes to find him. Except Daniel doesn't remember Jack avoiding him for the past twelve hours, and Jack does, and it turns out that he sucks at staying away from his best friend. Especially when he's got a question that's been bugging him for those same twelve hours.

"Why do you taste like sandalwood?" That sounds random, even to him. Daniel obviously thinks so too, because he turns to look at Jack like maybe his friend had suffered some kind of head wound. He has been talking crazy a lot lately, Jack knows that, but he has a reason.

"Have you been licking me?" Daniel asks, and Jack's not entirely sure why _that_ is the first thing that Daniel thinks of.

"What? No. Why would I be licking you, Daniel?" Although now that Daniel mentions it, the idea isn't that unpleasant, but Jack has to shake his head to get his mind back on track and off of places he may or may not want to put his mouth. And tongue. Especially the tongue parts.

"Maybe this time thing has driven you crazy." It's a reasonable assumption. Why else would Jack show up, ask random questions, and not answer in a precise and logical manner? Obviously, he has gone crazy. Jack is even willing to believe that. It is an easy excuse.

"The time thing has not driven me crazy," he replies. It's an easy excuse, sure, but when has Jack ever done things the easy way? The easy thing to do is turn around, leave, wait for time to reset, and do this all over again. And probably again. Instead, Jack remains standing on the opposite side of Daniel's work table with his best friend staring at him like he just grew another head.

"Then how do you know what I taste like? Assuming I even taste like that and you're not making random assumptions, and how, exactly, do you know what sandalwood tastes-..." Jack is sure there's more to that ramble, some long tangent about religious herbs and spices, but listening to that would require too much of an attention span that Jack really doesn't have. So he cuts Daniel off midsentence when he steps around the table and places his arm around Daniel's waist.

Daniel's not talking, but his eyes are narrowed, and Jack can tell he's gearing up for... something. Jack doesn't even give him the chance to get started, not this time. His mouth finds Daniel's easily enough, and Jack realizes he's breaking one of the many promises he'd made to himself about things he wasn't going to do ever again. He also doesn't care.

Daniel's hands bunch in the fabric of Jack's shirt at his shoulders and he uses that grip to push Jack back. This is bad. Jack knows it is, because there's still two hours until time loops again, and that's two hours of consequences Jack really doesn't want to deal with. Daniel doesn't let go of him, and that fact lets Jack relax just a little.

"What are you doing?" The question is probably softer than Daniel would like, but Jack doesn't ignore it, even though he probably could just pretend he didn't hear it.

"Kissing you?" Obviously. Daniel looks confused, getting that little tiny frown line between his eyebrows that Jack probably should not find adorable, attractive, and slightly annoying all at once. Jack's not really sure what better explanation he can give, though.

"Yes. Why?" Daniel is speaking slowly, drawing each one syllable word out like he's speaking to an idiot child who just got caught in the cookie jar. Which, actually, is a fairly good metaphor.

"Because I can?" That's not a good answer, and Jack knows that. Daniel knows it too, that's why Jack gets an annoyed exhale in response. It's a noise that Jack understands to mean both "Idiot" and "Stop answering my questions with a question." At least Daniel doesn't say either of those things, so Jack chooses to ignore that noise.

"I thought... You and Sam are..." Daniel trails off, finally taking his hands off of Jack's shoulders and gesturing vaguely. Jack simply lifts his eyebrows like he doesn't get what that gesture means. Daniel sighs again, sounding even more annoyed (which Jack actually didn't think was possible, but hey, he learns something new every day) as he adds, "Together."

"That's against regulations, Daniel." Jack says that like it's the obvious and simple answer. It's not. He knows it, Daniel knows it.

"Kissing me is also against regulations, Jack," and that slow tone of voice is back. Jack is obviously being stupid again. And crazy. All wrapped up into one confusing package.

"That's really more of a suggestion," Jack replies. There's a pause, and for once, Daniel isn't launching into a lecture. Jack takes that as acceptance, even though he's only kidding himself. He knows there's a conversation that they need to have, but they don't have time. There's never enough time to do everything he wants before it all starts over again. Instead of retreating to the other side of the table, Jack reaches out, his hands cupping Daniel's face gently, and he pulls the other man forward, into another kiss.

It's deeper this time, warmer, lasting, and a little bit hungry. This time Daniel returns it, and when Jack pulls back, he glances down at his watch before looking back up at Daniel and finally meeting his friend's eyes. "For the next hour and forty-three minutes, can we just do this?" This time, it's his own voice that's softer than he would like.

Daniel's only response is to lean in and kiss him.

_III. (this bittersweet revelry will be the death of me)_

This is rapidly becoming a habit. Or an addiction. Or both.

Jack knows it's not right, it's not fair, and someone, eventually, is going to get their heart broken into teeny, tiny pieces, and even odds on it being either him or Daniel. Jack also knows that he'll do everything in his power to make sure it's the former, not the latter. He's just not entirely sure how well he's going to be able to hold to that.

He tries as hard as he can to avoid Daniel's office, but it's like the universe enjoys messing with him now more than ever. Because something always comes up, no matter the time loop, no matter what, that means he needs to go down three levels, turn left twice, and wait patiently for Daniel to get back from his briefing with Hammond. It would probably be simpler to just wait outside the briefing room, but people stare at him knowingly when he does that. Like maybe he's not aware that his best friend, his commanding officer, and his chief medical officer are in there discussing how crazy Jack may or may not be.

So he always waits outside Daniel's office instead. Today, he actually gives Daniel a full minute to get inside the room, file away whatever reports Hammond wants him to go over, and only once he's sure that Daniel's hands are clear does Jack turn the corner and walk purposefully into the room. That one act makes Daniel look at him in a very guarded, tense way, like he's expecting Jack to leap across the room and attack him.

Which, actually, isn't that far off from what actually happens.

Jack doesn't stop walking, rounding the edge of the worktable far easier than he really should have been able to, considering his two bad knees and his bad back, but practice makes perfect. And Jack has done this a lot in the past several hours, days, weeks, whatever. He's still moving when he presses his hand to Daniel's stomach and captures the other man's mouth, and he uses his momentum to push Daniel back against the chalkboard.

He's making a mess. Daniel will complain about it later, if Jack ever gives him that chance. Today, Jack doesn't think he will. By the time he pulls his hands away from Daniel's back, by the time he breaks the kiss, there's chalk dust on his fingers which only smears across Daniel's chest as Jack fumbles with the buttons on his shirt. The dust is stark against the black undershirt, but Jack only notices that for a moment before his fingers clench in the shirt, pulling it up so he can press his chalky fingers against Daniel's bare skin.

Daniel sucks in a breath, his body going ramrod straight at that touch, and he says, softly and a little demanding, "Jack." It's not a question, but it's not an order to stop.

Which is why the only thing Jack says as he slides to his knees is a soft, "Shush," before leaning forward and replacing his hands with his mouth. He isn't entirely sure what he expected Daniel's skin to taste like, possibly more sandalwood, but it's not really like anything Jack has the words to describe. He parts his lips, letting his tongue slide across Daniel's stomach, and he feels the other man tense, his hands coming down to Jack's shoulders.

There's still not order to stop, and Jack brings his head, and mouth, down tasting the line of hair beneath Daniel's navel as it disappears into Daniel's underwear. That gets an actual reaction as Daniel's breath hitches and his hands come up into Jack's hair. That is definitely encouragement, Jack thinks.

His fingers spread Daniel's pants open before hooking in the elastic of Daniel's underwear. As Daniel's fingers tighten in Jack's hair, he pulls that piece of clothing down, releasing the cock that Jack is fairly certain was not that hard two seconds ago. He glances up, possibly hoping for some kind of acceptance on Daniel's face, but his friend's hands twist in his hair and his eyes are screwed shut.

Jack can't help the slight half-smirk at the sight. It's weirdly mesmerizing, and it only gets better when he leans forward and sucks the head of Daniel's dick into his mouth, slowly, gently. The teasing flick of his tongue over the head makes Daniel gasp, his eyes flying open as he looks down at Jack. There's just the tiniest amount of pressure on the back of his neck, Daniel's small encouragement for Jack to move forward.

That is definitely permission, and Jack obliges by sliding his mouth just as slowly down Daniel's cock until he tears a long, low groan from Daniel's throat. It becomes Jack's goal then to hear that sound from Daniel's mouth as much as humanly possible. The hands in his hair are more than a little insistent and demanding at this point, and Jack is all too happy to do what Daniel wants as he takes as much of Daniel in his mouth and throat as he can.

His movement back is slow, getting a hissed breath through clenched teeth this time, but the way Daniel's head is pressed back against the chalkboard, Jack knows it's a good sound. He brings his hand up, wrapping it around the base of Daniel's cock, and finding a rhythm now is easy as he watches Daniel's face, listens to those sounds, and soon enough Daniel's hips are bucking, fucking Jack's hand and mouth like he can't get enough.

When he comes, Daniel's head presses harder back against the chalkboard, and he moans something that sounds like Jack's name, but it's too breathless for Jack to really be sure. He swallows, groaning at the taste of Daniel sliding down his throat. He doesn't move from his spot on the floor, mostly because there's a pang of guilt that he can't really explain, one that only gets worse as Daniel slides to the floor in front of him.

Jack thinks he should say something, maybe apologize or tell Daniel to put his dick away and button his pants, something to break the silence. Something beyond what he wants to say or thinks he needs to say. The apology won't come, and he's afraid that if he lets Daniel speak it will only get worse.

Because in two hours, Jack knows this will all reset and time will start over and Daniel won't remember a thing.

He's not sure he likes that, but he swallows back those doubts, puts a hand on the back of Daniel's neck and pulls him into a kiss.

_IV. (either way you turn, it's gonna hurt)_

This is the third time they had had this conversation. Actually, that isn't entirely true. This is the third time that Jack has _started_ this conversation, but he always loses his place, gets distracted, and ends up spending six hours doing nothing but pushing his best friend against the nearest flat surface. Which, needless to say, means he doesn't really get anything accomplished.

It needs to stop, though. Jack knows he can't keep doing this to either one of them. More accurately, he can't keep doing this to himself, because Daniel never remembers that Jack's doing anything to him. But Jack remembers every second of every time they're together. And that, that is slowly killing him.

"We need to stop." One day, hopefully one day soon, Jack will stop walking into Daniel's office and stop making random statements that don't really seem connected to reality. This time Jack stands firmly on the other side of the table, though he knows how much that won't stop him. He digs his fingernails into his palm and he tries to stay strong. Despite the confused expression on Daniel's face that has become almost a trigger for Jack anymore.

He thinks maybe there's something wrong with him that he could get this riled up over his best friend looking _confused_ , but it's not that. There's more too it. If it had just been some stupid little attraction, it would have been over just as quickly as it started. Yet he keeps coming back, and that is why it needed to stop.

"What are we doing?" Daniel raises his eyebrows, but he's not really confused anymore. He's expectant, like whatever Jack is talking about might be the solution to ending whatever weird time thing it was that Jack's been going on about all morning.

"This!" Jack says, gesturing between the two of them in a way that he could only have picked up from Daniel. Daniel actually looks behind himself, like maybe there is something on the chalkboard or on the stacks of books behind him. "You and me, Daniel. We need to stop." He needs to stop. It's all him. Daniel never asked for it, Jack is the one who has been making demands and kamikaze-like make-out sessions in Daniel's office.

"We're not doing anything, Jack," Daniel begins, stepping around the table and reaching for Jack. That only makes Jack jerk back, avoiding that reaching hand like it might just kill him if it touches him. One touch and his resolve will shut down completely. Jack knows that. He knows his own weakness. Knowing one's weakness and fighting it are two separate things, though.

Which is probably what spurs Jack forward, ignoring the hurt look on Daniel's face as he captures the other man's mouth in a kiss. One last kiss, that's what he tells himself. It has to be this way. Living with no consequences can't last forever. He pulls back quickly, like he's been hit. Daniel's eyes are wide, his lips parted, and Jack groans softly.

He's stronger than this, though, and he takes a step back. "That. That is what we have to stop."

Daniel touches his lips and stares at Jack for a moment. Jack isn't meeting Daniel's eyes anymore. He can't. If he looks at him too long, well, it might just break his heart, his resolve, and maybe his spirit all at once.

"How many times have you done that?" Daniel would be the one who figures it out. Carter's caught up in the science, Hammond is just confused, but Daniel... Daniel knows him better. Daniel can read between the lines.

"I've lost count." That is completely true. Time is so jumbled in his head anymore that there's no hope of him ever, really remembering what he did when or how often. He's not even sure how many days have passed.

"Oh." Daniel nods, and his face goes blank. Jack recognizes that look, recognizes the walls Daniel puts in place whenever anyone gets even remotely close to hurting him. He hasn't seen that look since Apophis took Sha're. He's used it on other people, but never Jack. And that maybe hurts more than it should.

"Stop that," Jack says, and it's almost an order. Almost. He's using a tone of voice that never really works on Daniel, and it doesn't work this time either. Daniel just shakes his head.

"How much have we done? I mean, are we in friends with benefits territory or are you just making out with me whenever Sam is busy?" There's a note of sarcasm in Daniel's voice, something that sounds bitter even to Jack's ears, and maybe Daniel has been spending way too much time with him.

"Carter has nothing to do with it," Jack says. Outside of one kiss, one resignation from what feels like a lifetime ago, it's been Daniel. Just Daniel.

"Right. So it's the first option," Daniel says, though this time he just sounds tired. Jack opens his mouth to respond, but this time, Daniel holds up a hand to stop him before using that same hand to push his glasses up and rub the bridge of his nose. "Just go, Jack. You've got, what, three hours left before I forget all about this and maybe next time, just stay away. That might end better." Jack has his doubts, and he doesn't point out that he _can't_ stay away. He settles for nodding and stepping back to the door.

He only glances back once. Just long enough to mutter, "Enough," under his breath. This needs to end. Now.

_V. (we're holding on, sinking down, here we go, round and round)_

Three months.

Ninety days, give or take.

With time loops at six hours each, that was roughly 360 loops. Almost a year's worth, and Jack tries not to think about that. He's never been good at losing time. He's never been good at not having control, and spending three months locked inside constantly looping time counts as losing control. Considering what he did during those lost three months, that _definitely_ counts as losing control.

Jack considers this his first real act of reasserting some kind of control over his life. Like finally getting to have something besides Fruit Loops, but better. Because even having oatmeal that morning has more to do with what the mess wants to serve and not so much what Jack wants to eat. Choosing to make his way down to Daniel's office, though, that is all him.

He leans against the doorframe, watching Daniel study pictures and notes on the time box thing that Jack had absolutely refused to allow anyone to bring back to the SGC, and for a moment, he considers just leaving the other man in peace. Eventually, though, he raps his knuckles against the doorframe, getting Daniel's attention.

"Hey. How're you feeling?" That's the standard question from everyone he's come in contact with since they got back from P4X-639. And Jack gives what has become his standard answer - he shrugs.

"I still don't know what Frasier's looking for in my eyes. I think she's on some kind of power trip," Jack replies, after he shrugs and after he steps into the room, placing his arms on the table and leaning over to take one of the pictures Daniel was looking at. He stares at it for a moment, turning it upside down like he's seriously trying to make sense of it. Daniel just laughs and takes the picture back.

"Yeah. So that whole no consequences thing," Jack says, after he watches Daniel place the picture back where it belongs.

"Are you ever going to tell Sam what you did?" Daniel knows Jack well enough to know he did something, knows Jack's feelings about her, but Daniel is usually oblivious about other things, more personal things, and now is no different.

"Probably not," Jack says with a faint smile as he reaches out and moves one of those pictures out of order, just to mess with Daniel. His friend just rolls his eyes and moves the picture back. "That, um, that wasn't the only thing I did, you know. In the loop." There's hand gestures that went along with that sentence.

"Oh?" Daniel looks up, his eyebrows lifted to show he was interested before he goes right back to straightening the pictures that Jack is purposefully messing with. Jack doesn't respond, reaching out instead to take Daniel's wrist gently. That stops his movements, and he looks over his glasses at him. "Jack?"

Jack still doesn't answer, at least not with words. Instead, he uses that gentle grip to pull Daniel forward. His free hand comes up to cup the side of Daniel's neck, just to steady them both as Jack leans forward and presses his mouth to Daniel's. It's not the most comfortable position in the world, what with the table between them, but it got his point across. Jack breaks the kiss with a nod.

"I did the no consequences thing. It kinda sucked," he says. He looks up, licking his lips for one more phantom, lingering taste of Daniel there.

"Jack?" Daniel's voice is quiet, though that may be because it's being muffled by the press of his fingers against his lips. "You're not in the time loop anymore..." Like Jack would have forgotten about that?

"I want consequences, Daniel," Jack says, looking up and meeting his friend's eyes evenly and confidently.

"Oh." Then Daniel's eyes narrow, and Jack knows what's coming next. He tightens his fingers around Daniel's wrist, not enough to hurt, but enough to maybe stop Daniel from asking about how he came to that decision and how often and just what did Daniel miss during those many loops. It works, and Daniel just lifts his eyebrows. "Jack." It's his name that was an order now, and Jack has the decency to wince, just a little.

"I'll explain everything over dinner? I'll pay?" Like he can bribe Daniel with food, but Daniel sighs and nods.

And as Jack releases Daniel's wrist, he can't help but think that, maybe, just maybe, this really will be worth every single consequence.  


**Author's Note:**

> Not mine. MGM owns them. Son is "Making Circles" by Christian Kane.


End file.
